Cherry Brandy (The Painted Daisies Book 3) by LJ Evans

Author:LJ Evans [Evans, LJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: That's What She Said Publishing
Published: 2023-05-16T16:00:00+00:00

When Leya woke and didn’t immediately recognize her surroundings, it almost felt like she was on tour again. Bouncing from hotel to hotel. But then, the terror of the last two days slammed into her, and her pulse quickened. She reached for Holden as if she was already used to him being next to her―as if it was normal. When he wasn’t in the bed, she sat up, panic flying through her.

She heard a murmur of conversation from the other room and recognized the deep gravel of his voice. Relief flooded her veins. It was so strong it propelled her from the bed, desperate to see him. To touch him. To dance along the ravine that divided her soul between instincts and logic.

She walked out to find him shutting the door behind Eva. The sunlight shining through the window surrounded him in a glow, and she was struck by the beauty of him all over again. His hair was wet, and he had on a blue T-shirt the same color as his aura―a shimmer of pale aquamarine she wanted to lose herself in. Her hands itched to paint him in strong, vivid lines of black that would curl over the page, but even more than that, she wished she could walk right up to him and kiss him.

He drank her in as he always did, and that combination of assessing and appreciating set fire to her veins.

“Eva brought more food.” He waved to a pink box on the counter. “And there’s coffee in the pot.”

Neither of them moved, and yet it felt like they had, the tension that always existed between them banging at the doors of her heart, waking her nerve endings completely. Yesterday, she’d wanted these emotions, needed them desperately in order to feel alive. She’d told herself she was already tied to him forever, and yet she’d let one call with her mother drag it all away. How pathetic was that? To walk away from someone who could be her jeevansathi just because she was afraid of disappointing one person?

The truth was, she’d never be what her mother wanted because she was emotional. She did let her feelings and instincts guide her more than logic. But listening to herself, that inner core, had brought her many wonderful things. They’d brought her the band…and Lincoln…and her art. And now…now they were bringing her Holden. If only she had the courage to take the leap, and if he had the courage to take it back.

Mom would say it was impulsive…but it wasn’t. Impulsive would have been kissing him that very first day on the lawn at the residence. Kissing him now was going into it without blinders. Understanding what she was giving up…what he would have to give up. They’d have to risk enormous parts of themselves for a mere chance at something bigger. Something that may not last even if they both wanted it to.

She stepped toward him, eyes falling to his mouth, and he mirrored the movements until they were close enough that he could tug gently on a long strand of her tangled hair.

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